Police deny stopping Kennedy Onyango's burial, say father claimed the body

The National Police Service (NPS) has dismissed claims of refusing to release the body of 12-year-old Kennedy Onyango, who was killed during anti-government protests in Ongata Rongai, for burial in Mbita on Saturday.

Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome confirmed that the body of the minor was on Thursday indeed released to the deceased’s mother for burial.

Koome, however, went on to state that the burial could not take place as planned following a family tussle after the boy’s alleged biological father moved to court.

“Contrary to the misleading reports circulating on social media that the National Police Service has stopped the burial of the late Kennedy Onyango in Mbita Constituency, we wish to clarify to the public that the body was released to the mother, Josinter Anyango Ochieng for burial on July 4, 2024,” Koome stated.

“The body was moved to Mbita for burial but upon arrival on July 5, 2024, one Denish Okinyi Abaga claiming to be the biological father of the boy appeared with a court order stopping the burial after he demanded to bury the boy.”

The IG explained that the court order obtained by the alleged father directed police to move the body to the Suba mortuary awaiting further court directions.

“Apparently, the Civil Suit No. 0028 of 2024 filed at Mbita Law Courts ordered the police to move the body to Suba Sub-County Hospital Funeral Home for preservation, and the OCS Mbita Police Station complied with the order,” he noted.

IG Koome further revealed that contrary to reports that the boy was shot eight times, a postmortem examination report indicates that he died from a single gunshot wound.

“…This was after carrying out of the post-mortem by pathologist Dr. Ndegwa P.M. with the outcome indicating that the boy died due to a single gunshot wound at a long-range,” stated Koome.

The police boss has thus urged the public to remain calm as the court deals with the burial feud.

Government pathologist Dr. Peter Ndegwa who conducted the postmortem at Ongata Rongai Sub-County Hospital Funeral Home confirmed that the bullet had shattered his arteries and punctured his lungs.

According to his family, Kennedy left the house that fateful day to pick up a book he was sharing with a neighbouring classmate. 

He would then allegedly be shot eight times as the protests took an ugly turn, in a night riddled with violence, gunfire and looting.

During an interview on Sunday, President William Ruto said the Rongai protests were infiltrated by goons who even took a gun from a police officer and shot into crowds.

He said investigations into the incident will reveal whether the boy was indeed shot by police or by the goons.